MARA WILLIAMS

There was a certain sanctity in the loneliness of the night. It was getting late and I worried that Draco would never come, It had seemed like hours that I'd sat alone staring up at the night sky, not that I minded. It was my only haven in this wicked world.

The air was colder than usual, which wouldn't have been a problem if I hadn't been sat waiting for the past half an hour, the frigid tendrils of wind toying gently with my hair as I watched the path of a lone owl, stark white contrasting against the blackness as it flew overhead.

"You're late." I said to the empty air, not breaking sight from the bird until it disappeared into the confines of Owlery. I wondered who the letter was for, not that it mattered, maybe it was a howler from my aunt, I still hadn't replied to her last letter. Draco sat quietly besides me, staring up into the night as he echoed our previous conversation. "You never specified a time."

I scoffed as I repeated exactly what he'd said to me, "-You're still late."

Shaking his head with an eye roll he held out a hand to me. "Get up." Which begrudgingly I took.
We gathered our brooms and took off into the night, soaring high above the tree line as we had so many times.
Despite the recent coldness between us, he seemed to be back to his usual devilish self, and for that I was glad. Something about seeing him so off sounded a dissonance within me.

"...Do you want to try something?" Malfoy suggested with a smirk, clutching the struggling snitch tightly in his fist.

I raised my eyebrows slightly as I levelled my broom with his, childishly tempted to give his a kick. "I guess that depends on what you have in mind?"

"Just a little game..." He said mockingly, cocking his head as he pouted. "You're not afraid are you?"

I scoffed throwing the smirk straight back at him, "Try your worst Malfoy."

His grin was blinding, sending a mix of the most marvellous feelings spiralling from my chest only to hitch at the hilt of my throat.

"I'll give you a ten second head start, first to catch the snitch wins..." His face dampened with sickening glee. "...Loser owes a dare."

With that he released his fist, and the ball sprouted a pair of fine gold wings from which is quickly disappeared into the thick of the night.
Instantly I took off after it, and a moment later Draco was besides me, our brooms neck and neck as he plunged towards the ground.
There was a glimmer of pale moonlight as the snitch changed direction and began to climb, Draco saw it before I did as he soared off towards the sky without looking back.

Higher and higher we flew, until the dewy damp of the clouds began to settle on my skin and the strong winds stole my breath away.
There was a moment of darkness as the clouds misted my view. I couldn't see anything as I slammed to a halt, even Draco had disappeared.

Only inky black surrounded me, suffocating me.
I stared around frantically, trying to find something, anything. "Draco?"

Silence ensued, I wasn't sure exactly what I feared most, the echo or the answer but a whisper of wind whistled through the pale stars, taking with it the last shreds of my resolve.

"Draco!" I cried as I felt my throat began to close and my breaths beginning to draw heavy. Calm down Mara, but it was no use.
I should never have looked down. With a frightful shout I clutched my broom tightly, I'd never been this high before, I couldn't even see the ground from up here, only the fog of pale grey mist and the slightest twinkle of the castle lights below.

The bass of my heart thundered in tandem with my rapid breaths, and I felt it's thick pulse in every inch of my body, right the way down to my fingertips as I closed my eyes tightly, desperately trying to subdue the wicked creature that manifested within me, it awoke to claw at me eyes and throat, threatening tears that I didn't hold back.
-A familiar beast of angst.

The longer I stared into the abyss the more my sight began to fail me, and suddenly I was back at Durmstrang, back with Viktor, high above the back fields on a late winters night.

"Don't fall." He jeered as he stuck his foot out to kick my broom which swerved dangerously towards the ground.

"Viktor don't!" I screamed, desperately trying to right my plummeting mount. With a raucous laugh he stilled before me as I regained control. He was a natural, able to ride from the time he could walk.

"What's the matter Mara, it's just a little game." He pouted at the fear on my face. "No one likes a spoilsport."

That was all this was. A game to him.

"I don't want to play your games anymore Viktor!" I fought back tears as I pleaded with him. "I want to go home!"

But home did not exist. Not since father left and took with him the last memories of my life before.

A wicked grin tugged at the edges of his lips. "Well then, down you go."
-And all of a sudden I was falling as he gave my broom one hard and fast final kick.

Down, down, down. Plummeting to the earth like a lead weight, there was little I could do except brace myself for the impact.

A familiar voice called out as if from the back of my mind, hardly penetrating through my guttural screams.

"Mara!" Firm fingers dug into my arms, grounding me to my new reality. "Open your eyes and look at me! You're safe!"

My eyes flew open with a soul shattering sob as I felt the earth beneath my knees and the warmth of his arms. "You're safe now, I promise."
Malfoy held me to him, blissfully aware that he himself was a whole new world of danger. But none the less I was grateful, without him there I worried I would fracture beyond repair as much as I wanted to push him away. This was all just another plot in his losing game and I was sick of games.

"Why are you doing this to me?" My words were light as a frightened bird, quivering and afraid, struggling to take flight as I spoke into his shoulder.
The scent of smoke welcomed me in its comforting embrace, a familiarity that served to soothe my aching heart as he cradled me in his arms.

After a moment I pushed him away hard and he stared back at me in confusion, sharp brows drawn in over sharper eyes. "I'm only trying to help..."

"No..." Wiping my tears with the back of my sleeve I glared at him. "Why are you doing this... Why are you helping me?"

He didn't answer, for he had nothing to say. The truth was none of this was of any benefit to him, none of it made any sense. "You don't know do you?"

Draco's eyes flickered over my face, but focused in on my lips. The air seemed to ignite around us as he gave me reason in the only way he knew how, and he pressed his lips to mine.

I was unresponsive for a moment, the shock rendering me numb, before the sparks pushed through the cold, coursing thick through my veins like hellfire and I met him with just as much fervour as he gave me.

He was so gentle, it was as though he was scared that I'd break, like a fragile glass that would shatter into a thousand pieces at the slightest wrong touch.

The kiss was every bit as heart wrenchingly sating as I had hungered for and more, who would have known that Draco Malfoy was capable of mercy.

Everything about him was so much softer than I had imagined it to be. But I could also tell that there was a certain harshness behind the facade from the way his rough hands gripped me.
There could be nothing gentle about this devilish boy, only if he willed it so. He would be gentle for me, until I asked him otherwise, or maybe he'd make me beg.

My hands wound their way around his neck and into his hair, tugging slightly on the silken strands and I pushed my chest against his, revelling in the feeling of our breaths heaving in tandem. Our hearts beating as one.

He pressed and I followed his lead without hesitation, taking everything he gave and more.
We were greedy. We were selfish. We were raw and aching before one another. We had nothing left to hide and no distance between us to sate this sinful fire.

It felt good. So damn good. I never knew that something so simple as a kiss could ever make me feel this way. His hands tangled in my hair, tilting my head back and exposing my neck to him, as he made his way down my throat with hot, open mouthed kisses.
I came alive under his touch, the most primal parts within ourselves surging forward to take control as he held my face in his hands.

After what felt like an eternity I pulled away, gasping hungrily for air. Between our heaving breaths I saw the flash in his eyes, as fast as it was and as quickly as he hid it, I still saw it. Fear.

Searching his sinful eyes for an explanation I whispered, "Draco-..." But he was already backing off, rising to his feet. "-Wait!"

But he left. He left me there on the grass alone without looking back. Right as I thought he was beginning to mellow he built his walls higher and stronger than ever before, shutting out any prospect of sanctity. I couldn't help but feel stupid, what more did I expect from a boy like him?

***
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